High Noon

Hostage negotiator, Phoebe MacNamara is called to the roof of an apartment to stop a jumper. That is where she meets Duncan Swift. He is impressed by her sense of purpose as well as her looks and can't get her out of his mind. Phoebe's life is rife with challenges: Single mother, demanding job, agoraphobic mother, and a stalker.Duncan won the lottery and spends his time rebuilding old properties and increasing his wealth. They are perfect together. He understands her problems and isn't afraid to jump in. She is the glue that holds her family together but her strength is tested when someone from her police department turns on her.I have read this book several times as I love Duncan Swift. This time I listened to it on audio. Loved that too.

I just replaced my paper copy of this book with the Kindle version and reread it. It had been quite a while since I originally read it, so I wasn't sure if I would still like it. I'm happy to say that it was a thoroughly enjoyable book. I read some of the negative reviews, and while some criticisms may be valid, I didn't find anything in the book that detracted from my enjoyment.I've visited Savannah several times, but am not very familiar with its geography and police department. I suppose mistakes made in the book would irritate someone who is familiar with those areas, but they didn't bother me. I have been irritated by authors who place ports in landlocked cities and commit other major faux-pas, but I can live with minor glitches. As for Savannah not having full time hostage negotiators, I allow literary license in fiction, as long as it isn't too egregious. In this case, it added to the story and I could easily suspend disbelief.I liked Phoebe, Duncan and their friends and family. Sometimes when reading fiction, I just want to relax and escape from real life. Maybe the characters were not realistic, but it was nice to imagine that such loveable characters exist. Who wouldn't want to meet a man like Duncan, or have such loving and supportive family and friends? Romance readers love heroes who are vampires, shape shifters, demons, ghosts, time-travellers, super heroes, royalty, and a myriad of other types of heroes, so why not a multi-millionaire with a heart of gold? Also most people who read romances expect a bit of fantasy like love at first sight and I love that particular scenario. I know it isn't realistic, but I don't read romances for realism. Since this book is romantic suspense and not a straightforward romance, I expect some violence and language. I didn't feel either was over done and I enjoyed the element of suspense. There was a good amount of tension but not so much as in a thriller. I enjoyed the chapters that presented the villain's point of view and motivation, which added depth to the story. Those chapters managed to reval a lot about the villain without revealing his or her identity.There were flaws that I considered to be minor and which did not detract from the story. I absolutely hated 'Black Hills', so I am not a non-judgmental reader of Nora Roberts' books. Was this book a classic literary masterpiece? No, and it didn't pretend to be. It was a nice romantic suspense book that allowed the reader to escape for a few hours and to immerse himself or herself in a world where there is love at first sight, multi-millionaires with a heart of gold who are perfect heroes, close-knit loving family and friends, a place where good triumphs and where there is a happily ever after. I read books by authors like Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky when I want realism and expect a tragedy, or I read the news. This book was excellent for its purpose of entertaining a reader and allowing the reader to escape from reality for a few hours.I recommend this book for readers who like romantic suspense and Nora Roberts. It may not be her very best book, but it is definitely one of her better ones.

An engaging and enthralling read. Nora Roberts takes the reader through multiple twists and turns throughout the novel.Phones is a hostage negotiator whose work and person! life keep her quite busy on a daily basis. Yet, eventually she finds a way to combine all of those commitments with the right man who makes her life less complicated,Realistic and wonderful characters that will have you laughing and falling in love with them, and multiple interwoven storylines , bring this novel alive.This is a wonderful psychological thriller many will fall in love with.Another novel.I have read multiple timesover many years and re-read at least once a year.Rating: 4.8✳✳✳✳✳

From 2007, this book features one of the author's kick-a$$ heroines who is also a damsel in distress on multiple occasions. It's a win-win for readers who like romantic suspense with a guaranteed happy ending after all sorts of mayhem. Phoebe is a hostage negotiator in Savannah. She has a lot to juggle in daily life, including an agoraphobic mother, an ex-husband who doesn't care about their child, and an insubordinate cop with a serious anger management problem. Then she meets Duncan. He's laid back where she's tightly wound. He's rich, having won a multi-million dollar lottery. And he's gorgeous and willing to fight for her. Then there's Carly, the 7-year-old daughter, Essie, the mother, Ava, the family friend (female), Dave, the family friend (male), Carter (the brother) and his wife Josie, Duncan's friend Phin and his wife and mother...lots of characters. And a fair amount of plot, as it becomes clear that someone's out to get Phoebe and possibly people around her. Is it Arnie Meeks, the bad cop with pull in the department? Is it someone else? Who and why? Set in Spring and Summer, the Georgia heat is almost a character as well. If you've never read a book by Nora Roberts, this is a pretty good place to start. It has some of her trademark witty banter between Phoebe and Duncan to offset the steadily increasing suspense if you don't like too much heart pounding, and it has passionate interludes if you do.

Another fantastic Nora Roberts novel. She has such fantastic way with words, she paints her stories with them, makes you love the characters in her story. The story kept me up late reading....couldnt put it down. Her books never disappoint me. Every time I start a new book of hers I know that I wont be putting it down.

Nora Roberts is my favourite ever author. Her books and she has written many are unputdownable. They are a great story, brilliant characters the reader comes to love. I hate it when a book ends but then I read her books over and over again many times. This book was as good as all her others. She also writes as J D Robb

Great characterisation as one expects from Nora Roberts - and you are straight in at the deep end with both plot and characterisation - how does she do it - within 10 pages you feel as if you know them and your heart rate increases as theirs does!!Anyway, Phoebe a police Lieutenant hostage negotiator - highly competent and tough is called to a potential suicide - there she meets Duncan (really great guy - lots of good friends in very useful places - and really rich!!); sparks fly and the romance is on from the start. It does however, a other reviewers have noted take something of a back seat for the majority of the novel. This is a high energy, fast paced book and whilst we find out about Phoebe's past life and her current problems with her mother (agoraphobic); the old savannah plantation house (lives there otherwise her mother will be on the street)and an arrogant, nasty male cop who really has a problem with females having any authority - it left a few loose ends for me.It was a quick and easy read and that's why I only gave it 4 (3.5 really); entertaining and I can see the similarities drawn by others to her JD Robb series, though I confess I didn't whilst reading it!! For me it just had a little something missing - maybe it would've been better if Duncan hadn't been so wonderful and putting everything right - thereby kind of dismissing other characters.That said, still enjoyed it and worth the read.

Love Nora Roberts books, I read this years ago and now have it on my Kindle. A lovely romantic story, but some nail biting shocks/drama. I would definitely recommend this book and any others of Nora’s.

This is a similar theme to The Search and the Witness - a red headed woman, strong in her herself and well respected in her chosen field, who has to tackle an adversary who takes it personally... But she has a strong man by her side - or should that be a few paces behind her? Nora Roberts seems to research the careers of these women particularly well - and that is her strength - they come to life but they are also very feminine and easy to like and respect as characters. The men are believable too - not always perfect but strong and caring. I love this genre that she she created... More please.

Another cracker of a story from Nora Roberts - twists & turns all the way